Concrete gun, mixer and sandblaster



June 28, 1960 1. M. RIDLEY ETAL 2,942,860

=ZONCRETE GUN, MIXER AND SANDBLASTER Filed March 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IAN H. RIDLE Y 8 IN V EN TORS.

Huebner, Bee/Her, Warre/ 5 Herzig.

Afromeys.

RICHARD L. KLOSTERHAM June 28, 1960 1. M. RIDLEY ETAL coucmm: GUN, MIXER AND SANDBLAS'I'ER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5. 1956 IAN M. RIDLEY RICHARD L. KLOSTE'RMAN,

INVENTORS.

Huebner, Bee/Her, Worre/ 6; Herzig.

United States Patent-O CONCRETE GUN, MIXER AND SANDBLASTER Ian M. Ridley, 1608 Geen'field Ave., and Richard L. Klosterman, 3143 S. Barrington Ave, both of Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Mar. 5, 1956, Ser. No. 569,387

8 Claims. (Cl. 259-151) The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying a stream of cementitious material to a work area, and particularly to a concrete or cement shooting apparatus of efficient and compact design, capable of being controlled at the work area by remote control means.

In pressure stream application of concrete and cement type materials, it is highly desirable that the man handling the cement gun nozzle at the work area have as much control as possible over the cement feeding apparatus located some distance from the mans position t the gun nozzle. For example, it is important for the man at the gun nozzle to be able to turn the gun on and off at will without the necessity of signalling a second operator stationed some distance away at the cement feeding apparatus. This feature is greatly advantageous as a safety factor in the control of the high pressures used in the gun, and as a time and material-saving feature. Time is saved during stoppages caused by the necessity of moving from spot to spot, the necessity of moving scaffolding, or of making any of a number of necessary adjustments required on the job. Material is saved because the nozzle man can instantly shut off the flow of cement material instead of losing time and material while signalling a helper. The excess material discharged from the gun during the signalling period is, of course, wasted.

Labor is saved because the nozzle operator does not need to have a helper standing by to assist him in making a multitude of stops and starts. Also, in situations where the nozzle man is positioned in a furnace, smokestack, building, etc., he is out'of sight from the cement feeding and supply equipment. mote control means he does not require an elaborate signalling system if he can control the cement feeding and supply equipment by himself, while he is stationed at the gun nozzle. I

It is frequently necessary or desirable to clean the work With the aid of a re- I surface in cementing operations by sandblasting. It is, a

of course, desirable that duplication of equipment and complicated operating controls be avoided in the sandblasting equipment to reduce costs, maintenance, and labor, and save time in switching from the cement shooting operation to the sandblasting operation, and back to cement shooting.

Accordingly, it is an important object of our invention to provide a combination cement mixing, cement shooting, and sandblasting apparatus of efficient and compact construction and design.

Another object is to provide a combination cement mixing and cement shooting apparatus requiring a minimum of labor and time in the operation thereof, and a minimum loss of material through stopping and starting operations.

A further object is to provide a pressure gun apparatus for concrete or cement shooting operations wherein the gun operator himself can control the operation of the apparatus from his position at the nozzle of the gun while positioned at the work area.

ice

Additional objects will become apparent from the following description:

Stated in general terms, the apparatus of our invention comprises a vessel adapted to contain a supply of cement, concrete or other cementitious mixture, means for continuously feeding a stream of the mixture from the vessel to a concrete or cement gun nozzle, and remote control means for turning on and shutting off the supply of cement at the gun nozzle. In a specific embodiment of our invention, the supply of cement from the gun nozzle is determined by pneumatic control means capable of operation by a man at the gun nozzle. In this embodiment, air pressure means are associated with the material supply means, for imparting flow-motivating energy thereto. The material supply control means of the embodiment are operatively associated with an outlet valve mounted on the vessel for discharge therefrom of cementitious material such as mixed concrete, or cement. It will be understood, however, that instead of pneumatic remote control means for controlling the supply of ce-. ment materials, other control means such as mechanical, electrical, electronic, or hydraulic control means, for example, can be used, and the method and apparatus of the invention are not restricted to pneumatic contro means.

A more detailed description of a specific embodiment of the invention is given with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is an elevational view, partly in cross-section, schematically showing an internally partitioned pressur vessel together with auxiliary apparatus;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing a valve detail;

Figure 3 is a partial plan view showing the nozzle body of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 fitted with a sandblasting tip instead of a cement shooting tip;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a raw material valve detail;

Figure 6 is a similar view showing a concrete or cement supply valve and housing;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a somewhat enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure l; and

Figure 9 is a somewhat enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 6.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the pressure vessel 10 is made of cylindrical vertical walls 11 and rounded top 12 and bottom 13. A horizontal partition 14 divides the vessel 10 into a top portion and a bottom portion.

The top portion is a mixing chamber 16 for cement or concrete-raw materials supplied thereto fromtime to time. The mixing chamber 16 communicates with the top portion of a sand chamber 17 through a valved air inlet conduit 21, which can be a hose connection. The horizontal partition 14 serves as a floor for the mixing chamber and is provided with an elongated radial slot 22 (Figures 2 and 4). Beneath the slot 22 is a cylindrical valve member 23 eccentrically mounted on a rod 24 and adapted for turning into and out of engagement with the lip of slot 22. The valve member 23 can be made to have a mbber surfacing material. An annular inclined wall fastened to vertical wall 11 and horizontal partition 14 serves as a concrete or cement outlet guide to slot 22.

A vertical agitator shaft 27 is rotatably mounted in a shaft housing 28 and in the top 12 of the vessel 10. Fixed to the shaft 27 just above the floor partition 14, is a cement mixer consisting of radial mixing blades 29. The blades 29 are at an angle of about 30 to the horivalve chamber.

zontal to impart a tumbling action to raw materials during the cement mixing operation. The blades preferably are made in two pairs as best shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The lower portion of vessel 10, below floor partition 14 is divided into a concrete or cement supply or gunning Qhamber 31, preferably consisting of an upper cylindrical portion and a lower conical portion, and an annular air chamber 32, by a conical partition 33. The slot 22 establishes communication between mixing chamber 16 and gunning chamber 31 when cylindrical valve 23 is set to the open position. 1 Sand chamber 17 is provided near the bottom thereof with a sand discharge line 34 containing a sand control valve 36. The line 34 is adapted to deliver sand from chamber 17 to the bottom of air chamber 32, that is, the lower portion of bottom 13. Air chamber 32 is provided at the bottom thereof with a circular opening 37 cut through the bottom 13 of the chamber 10, as best shown in Figure 9.

A loading hopper 38 is mounted in the top 12 of vessel and communicates with mixing chamber 16 through a round surfaced valve 39 preferably formed of a portion of .a sphere or a section of a cone. Valve 39 is connected by a link 41 to a handle 42 rotatably mounted at 43. A downward pull on handle 42'moves valve 39 into engagemerit with a seal ring seat 44, asshown in phantom in Fig- ;ure 1. The, seat 44 is made of a resilient material, such as rubber, and forms a pressure tight seal with valve 39 when the valve is closed.

The seal ring 44 is held in an annular bracket 46 fastened to the lower end of a pipe section 47 forming a Loading hopper 38 'is fastened to the upper end of pipe section 47 which, in turn, is welded in the top 12 of. vessel 10 indicated at 48. An exhaust valve 49 also is mounted in top 12'and communicates with mixing chamber 16 when opened.

In an opening through the bottomv 13 of vessel 10is mounted a material supply valve containing an orifice 52 in a circular, scalloped plate 53. The plate 53, as best shown in Figure 9, is provided with scallops 51 which underlap the circular edge of opening 37 and rest on bosses 56 attached to the inside wall of a pipe section 63. This arrangement results in the formation of arcuate openings between the peripheral edge of opening 37 and the outer edge of plate 53 for passage therethrough of cement mixture, as best shown in Figure 9. A lower circular flange 57 is made integral with plate 53 and is positionedconcentrically with orifice 52. The walls of flange 57 are beveled, as shown, so that a flap valve 58, rotatably mounted on the under side of plate 53 at 59 seats against the lower edges of the walls of flange 57 when urged thereagainst by a piston rod 61, as shown in phantom. A piston rod guide 62 also is made integral with plate 53:to guide piston rod 61.

Th e pipe section 63 is welded at its upper end, as indicated, to the bottom 13 concentric with the opening 37 valve 39 is open.

therethrough. Attached to the bottom end of pipe sec-.

tion 63 is a bowl or hopper chamber 64, forming an orifice housing with section 63. Leading from the, bottom of toward tip 68.

' A compressed air line 73 conducts compressed air from a supply source to nozzle body 67 through a four-way control valve 74 and part of hose line 66. Air line 73 can be'exhausted through nipple 76 into hose line 66 by properly setting valve 74. The remainder of the compressed air system, including the pneumatic embodiment ofthe remote control means, is described below in connection with the description of the operation of the method and apparatus of the drawings.

The apparatus in the embodiment shown in the drawings is operated by closing valve 23 under partition 14 and charging the concrete or cement materials to the mixing chamber 16 through the loading hopper 38, while The materials in mixing chamber 16 are mixed by turning shaft 27 and mixing blades 29. This is accomplished by starting an air motor 77 connected to shaft 27 through a gear reducer 78 and a coupling 79. After the cement or concrete is thoroughly mixed, valve 23 is opened and the mixture is swept into gunning chamber 31 through slot 22 by the rotating blades 29.

Valve 39 is then closed tightly by pulling down on handle 42. Main air valve 81, connected in corn-pressed air supply line 82 is opened while nozzle tip air valve 69 is closed. Four-way air control valve 74 is set to activate air line 75, which maintains flap valve 58 closed, as shown in phantom. Under these conditions the pressure vessel 18 is put under a predetermined pressure through pressure regulator 83, air pressure inlet line 84, and air channel 86. The inlet end (not shown) of air channel 86 communicates with annular. air chamber 32 and conveys air therefrom to mixing chamber 16 through. the channel outlet end 87. Line 84 is the main compressed air'inlet for carrying the cement mixture to the Work through nozzle tip 68.

The operator now is ready to shoot material through nozzle tip 68 to the work area. If the job requires a preliminary blowing down and washing, the operator does this by setting four-way valve 74 to keep flap valve 58 in a closed position; Air in line 66 is allowed, to flow through valve 81 and is kept under pressure in line 66 until valve 69 at nozzle 67 is opened. With the resulting blast of air, the operator can blow from the work surface any dust or debris. .If it is desired to wash the work surface with a mixed stream of air and water, valve 72 is opened to introduce water into the air stream ejecting from nozzle tip 68. When the washing is complete, and the work is ready for the application of material, four-way valve 74 is set in position to activate air line 88 which opens flap valve 58 by' causing piston rod 61 to move into air cylinder 92.

The inward movement of piston rod 61 also causes a dog 93, fixed to rod 61 as indicated, to engage a handle 94, rotatably mounted at 96 and pivotally connected to piston rod 97 at 98. This action of .rod 61 slides piston 99 of air valve 101 to the open position, as best shown in Figure 6. The opening of air valve 101 causes a flow of compressed air through line 162, valve'101, line 103, oiler 104, and air motor 77. The actuation of air motor 77 starts shaft 27 and agitator blades 106a, 1061? and 106C turning. The rotating action of the agitator blades aids in the passage of material through outlet orifice 52. Water valve 72 is adjusted to the desired rate for proper water content of the cement shot from nozzle tip 68 to the work area.

Structural details of blades 106a, 16Gb and 1060 are shown in Figures 7 and 8. The convexly curved edge of each blade is the leading edge. 'This edge in each blade is sharpen-ed. The tips of the blades almost touch the inner wall of conical partition 33 during theirrotation. Blade 166C carries a vertical, downwardly extending blade 186d, welded tothe underside of blade 1060, and shaped to have a curved, concave faceto act as a scoop, as best shown in Figure 6. As shaft 27 turns, the blades slice the cementitious material in gunning chamber 31 and keep it fluid so that it will flow through orifice 52 into line 66. v r When the operator desires to stop shooting material for any reason, valve 74 is set to deactivate line 88 and activate line 75, which closes flap valve 58 by extending piston rod 61.

.As piston rod 61 is extended, dog 107 fixed on rod 61 engages handle 94 and closes air valve 101. 'This stops the turning of shaft 27 and the agitator blades by deactivating air motor 77. As soon as the residue of material, left in hose 66, when flap valve 58 was closed, has been blown clear of hose 66, slide valve 69 of the nozzle may be closed to deactivate entire process and permit the worker to lay down hose 66 without causing the hose to be plugged by cementitious material. If clean air is desired to blow away rebound, slide valve 69 may be left open to accomplish this purpose.

If the operator desires to do some sandblasting, valve 74 is set to close flap valve 58, main air valve 81 is turned to the off position, and the entire unit is depressurized by opening valve 69. Nozzle tip 108 is substituted for nozzle tip 68, and the unit is repressurized by opening main valve 81, and closing slide valve 109. When the operator is ready, slide 109 is opened and valve 36 is opened. Sand flows down pipe 34 and out through opening 37, into a stream of air also passing through opening 37. The resulting mixture of sand and air passes through bowl 64, hose 66, and out through tip 108 onto the work area.

The sandblasting operation is shut off by merely closing valves 109, 36, and 81. The operator then can switch over to shooting concrete or cement by shutting down, exhausting air from the apparatus, switching back to nozzle tip 68, and repeating the process alreadydescribed above. It will be seen that the apparatus can be rapidly switched from sandblasting to shooting concrete or cement and back to sandblasting without any delay necessitated by cleaning out the apparatus.

The apparatus can be shut down for a period of idleness, such as over-night, by opening valve 74 to exhaust air from line 88 and pressurizing line 75, thus closing flap valve 58 and stopping air motor 77, closing valves 69 and 72 and then closing main air valve 81 and opening exhaust valve 49 to exhaust the residual pressure from the system. The apparatus can be moved to a new location by means of wheels 111 mounted on vessel by brackets 112.

The annular air chamber 32 can be packed with metal shavings (not shown) to condense on the surface thereof excess moisture from the compressed air. The resulting condensed moisture then becomes entrained in the air and most of it is carried out of chamber 32 through opening 37. Relatively dry air passes from chamber 32 up through air channel 86 into mixing chamber 16. Channel 86 is mounted on the inside Wall of vessel 10 to be clear of revolving blades 29.

As pointed out above, other remote control means than pneumatic means of the type described in connection with the drawings can be used to operate the apparatus of the invention. In general, the remote control means is used to turn on a supply of compressed air to the nozzle 67, to the air motor 77, and to pressure vessel 10. Anelectn'cal remote control system, employing solenoid valves,

for example, can be used to control the air supply to these three components. The motor 77 can, of course, be an electric motor instead of an air motor and can then be actuated by electric switch :means. Similarly, hydraulic valves, actuated by hydraulic pressure, can be usedto control the air at valve 74 to nozzle 67 and to cylinder 92. Alternatively, cylinder 92 can be hydraulic cylinder controlled by hydraulic pressure generated in a hydraulic pump driven by an electric motor.

' Material supply valve 58 can be controlled by electrical, hydraulic, or mechanical linkage, for example, by an operator located at the nozzle .67 at a work area displaced some distance from the vessel 10. Water supply valve 72 and sand supply valve 36 similarly can be actuated and controlled by electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, or other remote control means other than manual control. Thus, the complete remote control of the supplies of compressed air, cementitious mixture, water, and sand can be remotely controlled through an instrument panel, if desired, located at the nozzle 67 at the work area by a single operator without the necessity of signalling. to a helper, and in fact, without the requirement of a helper at the vessel 10.

It will be understood that many changes and modifications in the above-described specific embodiment of our invention will occur to one skilled in the art. The fore: going description is given primarily for explanatory purposes and to illustratee a specific embodiment of the invention. The structure of the pressure vessel 10 and the shape and arrangement of the various chambers in the pressure vessel can be modified and varied Within the spirit of our invention. Similarly, the structure of the material hopperv38, valve 39, flap valve 58, and nozzle 67, and the structure and arrangement of auxiliary equip ment can be changed within the skill of the art and the spirit of the invention. The apparatus can, of course, be used for other shooting operations other than the shooting of concrete or cement and for particle discharge operations other than sandblasting.

Accordingly, it is understood that such changes and modifications in the structure, design, and details of the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated and described above may be made Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the type described comprising a cementitious material supply chamber, a material supply valve for feeding material out of the chamber to a work area, a stirring mechanism for agitatingtthe material duringfeeding .thereof, and a material nozzle communicating with the supply valve for directing onto said area, the improvement comprising remote control means for turning on and off the flow of material to the nozzle by remote actuation of the Stirring mechanism and the supply valve from a position at the work area, said remote control means comprises a pneumatic piston and cylinder operatively associated with the supply valve and the stirring mechanism for opening and closing the valve and activating and inactivating the stirring mechanism by reciprocal action of the piston.

2. In an apparatus of thetype described comprising a cementitious material supply chamber, a material supply valve for feeding material out of the chamber to a work area, a stirring mechanism for agitating the material-during feeding thereof, and a material nozzle communicating with the supply valve for directing onto said area, the improvement comprising remote control means for turning on and oif the flow of material to the nozzle by remote actuation of'the stirring mechanism and the supply valve froma position at the work area, said remote control means comprises a. pneumatic piston and cylinder operatively associated with the supply valve and the stirring mechanism for opening and closing the valve and activating and inactivating the stirring mechanism by reciprocal action of the piston, and a pneumatic valve positioned adjacent the material nozzle for control of said pneumatic piston and cylinder.

3; An apparatus of the type described comprising a pressure vessel, partition means in the vessel forming a concrete mixing chamber, and a concrete gunning chamber, valve means in said partition means between the mixing and gunning chambers for movement of concrete from the former to the latter, vessel outlet valve means forming an outlet from the vessel and the gunning chamber, a sand storage vessel, outlet valve means in the sand storage vessel communicating with the vessel outlet valve means, and compressed air conduit means communicating with the pressure vessel outlet means for mixing a stream of air with materials discharged from the pressure vessel.

4. An apparatus of the type described comprising a pressure vessel, partition means in the vessel forming a material mixing chamber and a gunning chamber, valve means in said partition means between the mixing and gunning chambers for movement of material from the former to the latter,'a gas-tight material inlet valve on the mixing chamber, vessel outlet valve means forming an outlet from the vessel and the gunning chamber, valve means in the gunning chamber communicating with the vessel outlet valve means, compressed air conduit means communicating with the vessel outlet means for mixing a stream of air with material discharged through the vessel outlet valve means, a material shooting nozzle communicating with the vessel outlet valve means for shooting a stream of air and material mixture, and vessel outlet valve control means for remote control of the opening and closing of the vessel outlet valve near the nozzle. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the vessel outlet valve control means comprises an air piston and cylinder assembly, a piston rod on the piston adjacent the outlet valve adapted for closing and Opening the valve by the inward and outward movement of the piston rod, air pressure conduit means communicating with the cylinder for actuating the piston, and air exhaust means communicating with the cylinder for actuating the piston and remotely controllable at the material shooting nozzle. 7 t

6. An apparat'us'oi the type described comprising a pressure vessel, horizontal partition means dividing the vessel. into an upper nnxing chamber and a lower gunning chamber, a sand storage chamber, a conical concrete gunning chamber and anannular air'chamber in a lower, portion of the vessel, an elongated radial slot valve means in said horizontal partition means between the mixing chamber and the gunning chamber for transfor of mixed concretew from the former to the latter; a

gas-tight concrete, materials inlet valve comprising a hopper communicating with the mixing chamber through a valve chamber, a resilient ring on the valve chamber, a round-surfaced valve mounted for engagement and disengagement of its round surface with the ring, and a handle connected to the valve for engaging and disengaging it with the ring; vessel outlet valve means at the bottom of the gunning chamber comprising an orificed wall on the vessel, an annular flange communicating with the orifice and extending outward of the wall, the outward edge of the fiange'being beveled and forming a valve seat, and'a flap valve member hingedly mounted adjacent the beveled flange edge for seating and unseating the valve; valve means in thetbottom of the sand storage chamber communicating with the vessel outlet'valve means; a shaft rotatably mounted inthe vessel and carrying concrete mixing blades for rotation in the concrete mixing chamber and a concrete agitator blade for rotation at the bottomtoi the gunning chamber above the orifice of the vessel outlet valve means; an air motorconnected to the shaft for rotation thereof, compressed air conduit means communicatingwith the vessel outlet means for mhn'ng a stream of air with concrete or sand discharged through the vessel outlet valve means; a material shooting nozzle communicating with the vessel outlet valve means for shooting a stream ofair and concrete or air andrsand mixture; and vessel outlet valve and air' motor control means comprising an air piston and cylinder assembly, a piston rod on the piston adjacent the outlet valve adapted for closing and opening the valve and for turning on and shutting off air pressure to' the motor by the inward and outa ward movement of the piston rod, air pressure conduit means communicating with the cylinder for actuating the piston, andtair exhaust'means communicating with the cylinder for actuating the piston and remotely controllable at the material shooting nozzle. 7 a

7 In an apparatus of the type described,'the'combination comprising a chamber adapted to contain a supply of cementitious material in its fluid phase, a supply valve in the bottom of said chamber to regulate the gravity flow of cementitious material out of said chamber, a hopper chamber enclosing the outlet end of said supply valve, an air inlet opening and a materials discharge opening in said hopper chamber, a nozzle for delivering cementitious material to a Work area, a flexible conduit connecting the nozzle to the discharge opening of said hopper chamber, means to feed compressed air into the hopper chamber to force feed the cementitious material delivered thereto by the said supply valve out ofthe discharge opening into and through the said flexible conduit and out of said nozzle substantially continuously, means adjacent the said nozzle for selectively opening and closing said supply valve, said last mentioned means consisting of'a pneumatic piston operatively connected to the said supply valve to actuate the valve in reversed positions to open and closed positions, a pneumatic valve for actuating said piston, said valve being operatively associated with said nozzle to be selectively manually operative, a source of supply of air under pressure, and conduit means feeding said air to the valve and from the valve to the said piston to actuate the said piston selectively to either one of said reversed positions.

8. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination comprising a chamber adapted to contain a' supply of cementitious material in its fluid phase, a supply valve in'the bottom of said chamber to regulate the gravity flow of cementitious material out of said chamber, a

hopper chamber enclosing the outlet end of said supply valve, an air inlet opening and a material discharge openingin said hopper chamber, a nozzle 'for delivering cementitiousmaterial to a work area, a flexible'conduit connecting the nozzle to the discharge openingvof said hopper chamber, means to feed compressed air into the hopper chamber to force feed the cementitious material delivered thereto by the said supply valve out of the discharge opening into and through, the said flexible conduit andout of said nozzle substantially continuously, means adjacent the said nozzle for selectively opening and closing said supply valve, a stirring mechanism within the said chamber for maintaining the cementitious aterial contained therein in a uniformly mixed fluid state, an air motor for actuating said stirring mechanism-,a condu it for supplying air under pressure to saidairmotor,

a valverneans for controlling the flow of air under presof the said means adjacent to said nozzle to close the valve.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V 1,250,918 MacMichael Dec. 18, 1917 1,478,865 Weber Dec. '25, 1923 1,553,476 Schuster Sept. 15, 1925 1,560,666 Conrad Nov. 10, 1925 "1,684,370 Schuste'r Sept. 11, 1928 1,810,271 Fraenkel June 16, 1931 2,094,839 Gassman et al. Oct. 5, 1937 2,284,250 'Ball et a1. -May 26, 1942 2,637,539 Crom .L May 5, 1953 2,705,132 5 said valve means upon closure of said supply valve'ancl to open said'valve means upon'sopening of said supply Neville Mar. 29,

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